Sina Weibo User Demographics Analysis in 2013 (4 Part Series)

This is the part 1 of a series of posts that gives you insights on Chinese netizens behaviors from Sina Weibo. Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.

Sina Weibo launched its 2013 Weibo User Development Report on December 6, based on massive Weibo user accounts information and consumption behavior to offer enterprises effective data support in social media marketing.

According to CNNIC, the number of Chinese netizens reached 591 million, and mobile netizens accounted for 464 million. Sina Weibo was one of the most important social networks for Chinese netizens, and its users had been growing fast in recent years.

Post 90s had become the major Weibo user groups, accounted for 53%. In the past year, post 90s users grew significantly. Post 80s accounted for 37%. Weibo tended to attract young user groups.

17.4% of Weibo users were from community service industry, and many were from school, real estate and IT industries.

Most of Weibo users had high education backgrounds, 70.8% owned bachelor and above degrees.

By comparing user demographics from 2012 to 2013, Capricorn, Aquarius and Cancer users’ percentages all increased a little. Libra was still the largest Weibo user group in 2013.

Post 90s users grew from 37% in 2012 to 53%, replacing 80s to be the dominant Weibo user groups.

Most people would use Weibo client, with 76% of the total users. 29% people used web version Weibo.

And lots of people became active after 8am, Weibo online users hit several apexes between 12 to 13, 16 to 17 and 22 to 23 in a day.

Mobile payment developed quite fast as mobile netizens increased, by analyzing Weibo users, we found out that 88% of them had used mobile payment in daily life. Alipay was the most popular mobile payment method, and many would also use online banks apps. NFC mobile payment also occupied a part of mobile payment market.

80.68% used mobile payment while shopping online, besides, 20.53% used it to repay credit card.

Mobile payment Weibo users, android users were apparently higher than other groups, with 64.78%. Government, school and NGO user groups had the highest percentage in mobile payment usage, with 18.47%. And users between 18 to 28 years old were the active mobile payment user group.